Dear Friend, The Illinois House canceled the final two days of a three day schedule this week due to the extreme cold blast felt throughout the State on Wednesday and Thursday. I hope that you and yours were protected during the harsh weather. If you ever wish to get yourself up to date on the latest information on how you can be prepared in the event of a weather disaster or other emergency please visit Ready.Illinois.Gov.
In the short couple of hours we actually spent taking up legislative action, the House passed its parliamentary rules. The procedures by which the House of Representatives run spark hot debate every two years. That is especially true when Speaker Madigan is the author of those Rules. More on my reaction to House Democrats passing “The Madigan Rules” is below.
Also this week, I was proud to join State Representatives Terri Bryant and Dave Severin at the WJPF Radio studios to talk about Monday night’s upcoming Town Hall Meeting in Marion. Listen in to our interview by clicking here!
Press Release: Windhorst Votes No on The Madigan Rules
Springfield….As the legislature returned to action in Springfield on Tuesday, the first order of business to receive consideration was HR 59. The House Resolution is the first order of business because it establishes the parliamentary rules by which the Chamber will operate for the 101st General Assembly.
118th District State Representative Patrick Windhorst (R-Metropolis) believes the parliamentary procedures that govern the law-making process in the House give Speaker Mike Madigan far too much power.
“One-man, one-party rule is the antithesis of American values,” Windhorst said. “Yet, the rules adopted by House Democrats today ensure that Mike Madigan can pull the plug on good ideas from the Republican side of the aisle, drop major pieces of legislation on legislators’ desks just one hour prior to voting, and bring legislation directly to the House Floor without so much as a Committee hearing. The ‘Madigan Rules’ are not in line with the tenets of a fair and open process.”
At the start of each new General Assembly, Speaker Madigan is known to require two critical votes from Democrat members; first, a vote to re-elect him Speaker of the House, which happened on January 9th, and then Madigan’s House Rules.
Windhorst says he is disappointed that efforts made by Republicans to alter Madigan’s proposed House Rules would allow for more public input were ignored.
“As a new member, I have met several very smart, very dedicated Representatives from the Democrat side that are also new to Springfield,” Windhorst said. “Many of them have expressed a desire to work together on major issues going forward. It sends a bad signal that on the very first vote in the Chamber, Republican ideas on House Rules were completely ignored by Madigan and other Democrat members, including those members that are new.”
Windhorst says Illinois House Republicans introduced their own proposal, HR 62, to address some of the concerns that exist on issues of transparency and public access to amendments to legislation.
“It may seem like a bunch of legal mumbo-jumbo to many people, but I want to make the complicated very simple when it comes to the Madigan Rules,” Windhorst said. “Madigan has the power and the votes to advance or to impede any legislative initiative for the next two years. That fact alone was enough to earn my No vote on HR 59.”
Southern Illinois Legislative Town Hall Meeting – February 4 6-7 p.m. Marion!
Marion….Illinois State Representatives Terri Bryant, Dave Severin, and Patrick Windhorst will host a legislative town hall and listening session in Marion on Monday, February 4, 2019. The Representatives will make themselves available to discuss their own legislative agendas, their thoughts on actions taken during the first weeks of the Pritzker administration, and take questions from audience members.
The public and members of the media are invited to attend.
If you have any questions, you may reach Representative Bryant’s office in Murphysboro at 618-684-1100, Representative Severin’s office at 618-440-5090, or Representative Windhorst’s office at windhorst@ilhousegop.org
Who: 115th District State Representative Terri Bryant, 117th District State Representative Dave Severin, and 118th District State Representative Patrick Windhorst
What: Legislative Town Hall and Listening Session hosted by Southern Illinois State Representatives
When: February 4, 2019 – 6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Where: Midwest Event Center, 11580 Route 37 North, Marion, IL